Methods on Protecting Plants Over Winter

Winter is coming! It is time to prepare you patio or deck, close down your sun shades, outdoor umbrella, and secure your patio furniture. But don’t forget your garden and plants.

During winter season, plants have to go through frost, cold temperature, and very wet soil. Without proper protection, your plants will suffer from frostbite and root decay. You need to exert extra effort to help the plants survive in this harsh outdoor condition. Depending on the type of plant, how you plant them, and where they are planted, there are useful methods on protecting them over winter.

To be very effective, you need to identify your plants if they are able to survive the winter and how much warm, water, and light needed for them to thrive.

Greenhouse and Temporary Shelter
Greenhouse can keep plants safe from the freezing temperature. You can build a small one in your backyard for your plants. And If moving your plants cannot be done, then build a temporary shelter right in their place.

Building a greenhouse or temporary shelter is easy using common materials found in home improvement and hardware stores, and even scrap materials around your house. You can use either solid plastic tubes, metal tubes or rods, or wood for the frame. Then you can wrap it using plastic sheeting or with some unused clear glass panel.

Mulching
A mulch has lots of uses such as stabilizing soil temperature, preventing weed growth, and keep soil moisture longer. These uses are also vital for plant survival during winter.

Materials for mulch can be organic or inorganic but the effect is pretty much the same. It can insulate the soil from the freezing winter temperature.

Cover
Putting cover on is the easiest, quickest, and a practical method. But you should take off the cover when the sky is clear so that the plants can get light and air.

You can use a thick plastic, a piece of cloth, or a tarp. Put it on the plant and tie it down securely.

Bring It Indoors
If you have ample space indoors or in your garage or shed you may also bring your plants in. This is easy for potted plants and if you can you may also want to transfer your plants in a container. It would be better to place them near the windows or in any spot that they can get some light.

Some of your plants may not be suitable in an indoor environment. However, they’ll have a good chance of surviving until spring inside a shelter than left in their freezing habitat.

You may not be able to save all of your plants, but  with these methods, you will be able to bring back your patio, deck, and garden to bloom soon as winter ends.